The Healing Power of Forgiveness

The famed and inspiration writer Maya Angelou was once quoted as saying, "Forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself." Not only is the act of forgiveness the greatest gift that you can give to yourself, it’s also a very sacred act that can help heal your heart and soul.

The entire concept of forgiveness is a very complex and goes against our primal need to get revenge on the person who wrongs us. It’s only natural to want to fight back and give as good as we got, no matter how big or small the offense. When we give in to our need for revenge, we create a cycle of hurt and negativity that becomes harder and harder to break. Do your heart a favor and learn to embrace the healing power of forgiveness.

At its heart, the act of forgiveness is also an act of compassion. To forgive someone is to be compassionate about who he or she is and how that led him or her to hurt you. Compassion is what helps us treat each other with a little bit of grace and understanding in spite of difficult situations. Expanding your capacity for compassion will help you deepen your connection to others around you and in turn will help you be a better friend and neighbor.

Forgiveness can also help you shift perspective so that you are able to take control over your emotions and reactions. It is the key you need to turn to free yourself from the role of the victim. While something bad may have been done to you, forgiveness will help you change your perspective so you can see how that experience helped you grow into the person you are now and that in turn will grow into gratitude for the present moment.

Releasing your need for revenge allows you to focus on the blessings that you have in the present moment. It also has incredible health benefits that impact your everyday life. Living in a state of tension and anger can cause rise in cortisol and adrenaline, which can cause chronic complications in regards to blood pressure, anxiety and a weakened immune system.

At first it may appear that forgiveness is a weakness and that you’ll let people steam roll you into submission. That’s far from the truth. True forgiveness is about having compassion for the people who hurt you so that you can move and take control over your emotional experiences. It is about breaking the cycle of hurt and negativity so that you can focus on wellness and love in your life, even if it means letting go of the person who hurt you.

Working through forgiveness will help you arrive at a healthier mental and physical state. You’re body will no longer be reacting to constant stress and you’ll enjoy a sense of freedom when you are no longer obsessing over the wrongs that people have done to you. Instead, you’ll be able to focus on the life that is right in front of you and appreciate it all that much more for what you’ve overcome.